Tilting steering-wheel.



F. R. KISSLING.

"TILTING STEERING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-l3. 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Z y/m M.

F. R. KISSLING. TILTING STEERING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED AUG-I3. 1911.

1,285,737. Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z- A Trams/gm.

UNITED sTA'rEs rnsnx Le. KISSLING, or BUFFALO, NEW roars, essiesa'os, so r MOTOR CAR COMPANY, or serrate, 250.

TILTING STEERING-WHEEL.

provement in Tilting Steering-Wheels, of

which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to steering wheels for automobiles and other vehicles or devices, and more particularly to steering wheels which are adapted to be tilted or swung-from the normal operative position to a position more or less parallel with the steering column, so as to afiord more room for persons entering and leaving the vehicle.

Tilting steering wheels as heretofore made are 'of complicated and cumbersome constrnctions, such that the space inclosed by the rim of the wheel is so filled up with obstructions as to interfere with the easy and corn fortable handling of the wheels and to render them ob'ectiona lein appearance. I e

The 0 ject of the invention is to produce a tilting steering wheel of simple but strong and rigid construction, which is substantially similar in shape and appearance to the standard non-tilting wheels, and has the'desirable qualities of the latter, but is nevertheless adapted to be tilted or swung out of the way to afford as much room as other more complicated and cumbersome constructions,

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view of a tilting steering wheel embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation or: an enlarged scale thereof, showing by tall and broken lines the operative and tilted positions of the wheel.

Fig. l is a section thereof on line i-i-, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, showing the Wheel tilted.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the head of the steering post.

The steering wheel comprises a hub 10, spokes or arms '11 extending outwardly therefrom, and arim rigidly connected to the spokes. As usual the hub and spokes are preferably integral with each other and with a circular metal ring or band 12 which is incased by a rim 13 of wood or other suitable material forming a comfortable grip for the hands.

14 represents the steering post, which is Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application flied August 13, 1917. Serial lilo. 185,815.

provided at its upper end with. a or part 15 which can be rigidly secured to the post in any suitable manner or formed thereon. This head enters and fits in a cor 'e spondingly shaped socket or opening it in the hub of the steerin wheel and is provided with a forwardly and preferably upwardly projecting arm 1! oaths outer portion of which the steering wheel is hinged or pivoted to swing from its operative positlon to the tilted position shown by broken lines in 8. @ne of the spokes of the i steering wheel is provided with downwardly opening radial slot or recess 18 to receive the hinge arm 17 and is hinged. there- I to by a suitable screw or pivot 19 extendin through the arm and through the parts oi the spoke at opposite sides of the slot 18.

The slot or recess 18 is preferably formed by spaced. vertical walls or nanges 18 depending; from the underside of the spoke, If the body of tie spoke covering or closing the slot above so that it is not 5i 1 from the top of the wheel. Preferably the post head 15 is tapered and concaved as shown at 19 and the socket 163 therefor in the hub is correspondingly shaped so that the head can fit tightly in the socket and prevent play or rattling of ieel when in itsoperative positieri, while, nevertheless, enabling the wheel to 'sw" y without looseness to and is ion. he pest head lied yposite the arm lb 20 adapted to fit a to further assist in lding the wheel rigid a wheel is in. its operatted or flanged part 1 of the spoke 1 is hinged to the r is preferably 1 deeper than the r ing portion oi M153 spoke to affor uisite strength and rigidity at connection but otherwise the spokes of wheel; can cc of substantially the size shape and arrangement usual in standard non-tiltins; wheels, that is, the spoke. W e preferably v radial and or thensuai slender and relatively thin shape having their greatest cross sectional dimension horizontal.

The steering eel is releasahly held in its operative position perpendicular to the post by a suitable catch orholding device, which in the construction. she 21, consists of a bolt 22 sli .efbly mennte e e underside of the at huh (apposite 1 side m ably holding the hinge and is adapted to be projected by a-suitable spring 23 into a hole in the post head 15 for securing the wheel. The bolt is ;ing radially from said hub, a steering post,

an upwardly tapering head rigid with said po'st adapted to fit tightly in a correspondinglytapered socket in said wheel hub, and an arm pro'ecting outwardly from the head beyond sai hub in the vertical lane of one of said wheel spokes, said spo e having a downwardly opening radial slot with fixed side walls which straddle said arm and bear against opposite sides thereof from said hub to the outer portion of said arm, a pivot connecting said spoke and said arm to permit the wheel to tilt, and a catch for releassaid wheel in operative position with said post head in the hubsocket.

2. The combination of a steering wheel provided with a hub and with spokes extending radially from said hub, a steering post, an upwardly tapering head rigid with said post adapted to fit tightly in a correspondingly tapered socket in said wheel hub, and an armpro'ecting outwardly from the head beyond sai hub beneath one of said wheel spokes, said spoke having spaced integral flanges which depend from its underside and straddle said arm and bear flat against opposite sides thereof for a material portion of the length of said arm, a pivot connecting said flanges to said arm to permit the wheel to tilt, and a catch for releasably holding said wheel in operative position with said post head in the hub socket.

Witnesses:

W. C. Ewan), J. R. WAY.

Witness my hand this 9th day of August, 

